Cleaning mechanism for can-lacquering machines.



A, Y. SEELY.

CLEANING MECHANISM FOR CAN LAGQUERING MACHINES.

APPLICATION rum) JAN. 22, 1910.

999,186. 9 I Patented July 25, 191-1.

COLUMBIA PLANOG NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN C Enron.

ARTHUR Y. SEELY, OF BLAINE, WASHINGTON.

CLEANING MECHANISM FOR CAN-LACQUERING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1911.

Original application filed November 21, 1908, Serial No. 463,831.Divided and this application filed January 22, 1910. Serial No. 539,452.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Y. SEELY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Blaine, in the county of Whatcom and State of lVashington,have invented anew and useful Cleaning Mechanism for Can-LacqueringMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to cleaning mechanism for can lacqueringmachines, having special reference to that type of can lacquer-ingmachines in which the cans are carried through a bath of lacquer andthen are conveyed away on an endless belt so constructed as tocontinuously roll the cans around their axes in order to present all thesurfaces of the can to the action of air.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a means forremoving excess lacquer from the can-supporting members of thesupporting belt so as to prevent clogging of the machine and thesticking of lacquered cans to the conveyer. For this purpose there isprovided, in operative relation to the return run of the belt and nearthe receiving end thereof, a cleaning roller constantly dipping in andso maintained wet with a solvent of lacquer, and this roller is causedto rotate against can-supporting rollers constituting members of theconveyer belt so that the rollers are subjected about their entiresurfaces to the action of the solvent under a rubbing action of thecleaning roller and are thereby thoroughly cleansed from any adheringlacquer.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detail description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, in which drawings Figure1 is a longitudinal section of a can lacquering machine embodying thepresent invention and showing a sufficient portion of the said machinefor an understanding of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross sectionof a portion of the conveyer belt and supporting co-acting members. Fig.3 is a detail view showing the manner of driving the cleaning roller.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a supporting frame 1 for theseveral mem bers of the can lacquering machine. At one end of themachine there is located a can loading mechanism 2 which is shown anddescribed in an application Serial No. 463,831 filed by me on November21, 1908 for a machine for lacquering cans, of which said applicationthe present application is a division.

The feeding mechanism forms no part of the present invention andtherefore need not be described in detail herein.

In the path of cans leaving the feeding mechanism 2 is a can lacqueringtrough 3 designed to contain a supply of lacquer in solution. Dipping inthis trough are blades 4 carried by a drum 5 mounted on a shaft 6 whichlatter is journaled in the longitudinal axis about which the curvatureof the trough 3 is described. The blades 4 are suitably curved toreceive cans 7 and lower them into the lacquer solution in the trough 3and to then elevate the cans out of the other side of the trough fromthat at which they entered and to then deliver these cans onto aconveyer belt 8, which belt has cross members or slats in the form ofrollers 9 arranged in pairs, the two members of each pair being sodisposed relative one to the other as to support a can with itslongitudinal axis parallel to the length of the rollers 9. The rollers 9have at the ends pinions 10 in the paths of which are racks 11 designedto engage the pinions and positively rotate the rollers. The rollers aresupported upon spindles 12 entering the ends of the rollers andprojecting from links 13 of link belts or sprocket chains such as arecommonly employed in connection with conveyer belts. As the cans aredelivered from the lacquering trough and pass to the conveyer belt andare carried by the latter toward the delivery end of the machine, therollers 9 are positively rotated by the engagement of the pinions 10with the racks 11 and by the progressive movement of the conveyer belt.By this means the entire surface of the can is subjected to air currentswhich may be produced by a suitable blower 14.

Because of the rolling action of the rollers 9 and of the cans 7 more orless lacquer is caused to adhere to the surface of the rollers 9 andthere is a liability of such lacquer accumulating on the rollers 9 andultimately clogging the machine and causing the sticking of the cans tothe rollers. It is to prevent this contingency that the cleansingmechanism of the present invention is provided.

Beneath the conveyer belt but near the receiving end thereof there islocated a trough 15 designed to contain a supply of a solvent of thelacquer employed. Extending along this trough so as to dip for adistance into the lacquer solvent is a roller 16 having suitable journalbearings in the sides of the machine or in the ends of the trough andthe spindle 17 of the roller projects beyond the trough where it carriesa pinion 18, which pinion is in mesh with a gear wheel 19 on the driveshaft of the conveyer belt 8 and which drive shaft receives power fromany suitable source. The rollers 16 may be made of wood or othersuitable material and be provided with a covering of some suitableabsorbent material, a strip of carpet be ing found to be of practicalvalue owing to thelow cost and the facility with which it may be removedand renewed when necessary. The can revolving and carrying rollers 9 arearranged to engage with the cleaning roller 16 as these can carryingrollers turn upward toward the dipping tank. The cleaning roller 16 ispositively driven so that the rollers 9 will be turned about theirlongitudinalaxes and all portions of their peripheries will be therebybrought into contact with the cleaner. The rollers are thus kept freefrom accumulations of lacquer and operate on the cans without stickingthereto. Various solvents may be used, such as gasolene or benzin, orany suitable solvent for the lacquer employed may be used.

\Vhat is claimed is:

1. In a can lacquering machine, the combination with a can conveyerincluding can supporting rollers, of a solvent containing tank below theconveyer, a cleaning roller extending into the solvent and projectinginto the path of the rollers of the conveyor, said rollers beingshiftable successively into contact with the cleaning roller, and meansfor rotating the cleaning roller to elevate portions of the solvent intodirect contact with the conveyer rollers and to rotate said conveyerrollers during the application of the solvent thereto.

2. In a can lacquering machine, a can conveyer including rollers mountedfor rotation and constituting can engaging devices, a solvent containingtank, solvent absorbing means within the tank and adapted to be engagedby the rollers successively during the movement of the conveyor, andmechanism for rotating said absorbent means to apply a solvent to therollers and to rotate said rollers during the application of the solventand during the movement of the rollers across said means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR- Y. SEELY.

WVitnesses J. A. NEHER, G. B. JnNIsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

